1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an academic carrying apparatus and more particularly pertains to a school supply carrier or backpack for transporting school supplies, books, papers and other items, and wherein the carrier is made of a semi-rigid material.
2. Description of the Related Art
The use of a backpack is known in the prior art. More specifically, back packs heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of carrying books, clothes, supplies and any other item so chosen by the user are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements. The backpack has become not only a popular but healthy way to carry books, papers, clothes, tools and a variety of other items.
In general, an academic carrying apparatus such as a backpack has a pair of shoulder straps by which the bag is suspended from the user""s shoulders so as to be carried on the user""s back. The back pack, particularly when it is designed for use in carrying school supplies, has a center compartment of a comparatively large internal volume to contain many articles which heavily burdens the user for short periods of time and long periods of time when walking from point xe2x80x9cAxe2x80x9d to point xe2x80x9cBxe2x80x9d. It is, therefore, desirable that the load is uniformly distributed over the entire area of the user""s body, particularly his shoulders, back and waist, and that such a uniform distribution is maintained during movement of the user""s body.
Further, most backpacks have a body portion that is hollow and defined by a fabric covering which may be canvas, or synthetic such as a fabric impregnated vinyl, or a pure highly flexible plastic. As used herein, the term xe2x80x9cfabricxe2x80x9d includes any type of sheet or web material, which may be utilized to define the three-dimensional pack. These fabric bags have certain inherent problems and shortcomings. For example, students traveling between home and school and from one school activity to another school activity during the day typically use the bags. At the end of a school year, the backpack is usually discarded. Many times the backpack does not last the entire school year because the fabric is easily torn and damaged.
By way of example, the prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 5,255,834, an article carrier that has a carrier body that includes an integral shaped thermoplastic molded three-dimensional graphical display panel to provide distinctive physical appearance and shock-absorbing protective characteristics in use. In accordance with this embodiment, the backpack carrier ""834 is provided with an outwardly facing rear panel and bottom panel formed from the shaped three-dimensional graphical display panels. U.S. Pat. No. 5,341,974 describes a back bag such as a backpack, knapsack or a tucksack that has a bottom-equipped bag portion, a pair of shoulder straps provided on the body-contact side of the bag portion. The pack of the ""974 patent is adapted to be hung from the user""s shoulders, and a hip belt extending from a lower portion of the body-contact side of the bag portion to surround the user""s hip bone. The hip belt is made of a left belt and a right belt connected by fastener, so that the hip belt is adjustable in its entire length or its angle of extension. U.S. Pat. No. 5,236,112 teaches a back bag such as a backpack, knapsack or a rucksack. The back bag has a bottom-equipped bag portion, a pair of shoulder straps provided on the body-contact side of the bag portion and adapted to be hung from the user""s shoulders. Further, the back bag has a substantially V-shaped frame provided on the body-contact side of the bag portion. The frame has both wing portions extending from the lower end apex of the V-form located in a region near the lower end of the backbone of the user""s body. The wings are elastically deformable independently of each other with respect to the lower end apex of the V-form of the frame. The weight load is distributed over the area of the user""s back, as well as the shoulders. The frame is plastically deformable in conformity with the geometry of the user""s back, so that the bag portion is held in close contact with the user""s back without jumping or slipping sideways during a long-distance walk or climbing.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,479,595 the backpack has an internal frame. The backpack of the ""595 patent consists of a T-shaped stay that has its vertical member centrally positioned to overlie the user""s spine. A load-transmitting, flexible, one-point connector extends between the pack bag, at the lower terminus of the frame, and the central rear segment of the hip belt. Stabilizer straps are provided to limit the movement of the pack bag. The one-point flexible connector permits a universal relative movement between the hip belt and the frame and associated pack bag, thereby providing a high level of capacity in the backpack to accommodate the movements of the user. Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 3,734,365 shows a backpack that has a closure flap with at least one fastening line attached thereto and is engaged on a fastening means attached to the back of the backpack for closing and securing the flap thereof. The fastening means has an elongated body member secured at one end thereof to the backpack, and a post located near the second end of the body member which is secured thereto and to the backpack, with the post and body member forming a pulley-like element with the body member adapted to receive the line and place tension thereon when the line is pulled over the post. An ear protruding from the second end of the elongated body member and extending toward the first end thereof forms a notch with the body member which is adapted to receive and wedge therein the line which holds the flap closed under tension. Thus, there exists a continuing and heretofore unaddressed need for an improved backpack for carrying items for use at school and other activities that is durable with a useful life extending beyond a single academic year or summer. During normal use, the backpack should securely contain all the items needed for the school day or the activities of that day. In addition, it needs to be durable to handle the constant pulling during removal and replacement on the shoulders. The backpack should be reusable and built to last. It should last long past a single school year and last long enough to be used for other purposes. Finally, the backpack should be made of biodegradable material so that, when disposed, it does not adversely impact the environment. It is to the provision of such a container that the present invention is primarily directed.
The primary object of the present invention is to provide a school-supply carrier or backpack for transporting school supplies, books, papers and other items, and wherein the carrier is made of a semi-rigid material.
Accordingly, the primary users of the academic carrying apparatus are students of all ages and persons wishing to carry a variety of items. Further, the academic carrying apparatus is highly durable and water proof. As such, the general purpose of the present invention will be described subsequently in greater detail.
To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises a body portion that defines a storage compartment that has a front panel, a rear panel and a pair of side panels. A lid is coupled to one portion of the upper peripheral edge of the body portion. The rear panel of the body portion has a pair of straps attached, and at least one outer pocket with a closure flap. Finally, a utensil portion is attached to each of the side panels. There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments, of being practiced, and carried out in various ways. In addition, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a backpack style carrier that is formed of a semi-rigid material so that the useful life of pack is increased.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an academic carrying apparatus, which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an academic carrying apparatus, which is made with durable and reliable construction.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide an academic carrying apparatus which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such carrying apparatus economically available to the buying public.
Still yet, another object of the present invention is to provide a plurality of utensil compartments that are further compartmentalized for improved organization of the utensils.
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty, which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.